Peter Berenbak

Peter Berenbak, a loving husband and father, writer, collector, and decorated veteran, died Monday, January 22, 2024, in Livingston, NJ. The cause was complications from Parkinson's Disease. From the East Bay of New York and Brooklyn to the East Sea in the Binh Dinh Provence, from the hills of Northern New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico, Grand Canyon, and beyond, Peter led a full life and will be dearly missed.

He was a few months shy of his 80th birthday.

Before retiring from Lexis Nexis Martindale-Hubble in 2015, he spent almost 20 years as a law firm marketing specialist, receiving six circle of excellence awards and twice Rep of the Year. Prior to working with legal publications, Peter worked as a teacher as well as a long career in media, serving in multiple roles for various radio and newspaper companies, most notably the Daily Record in Morristown, NJ. From the early 1970’s through the 1980’s, he was an essential part of the Daily Record team, working as a reporter, sales executive and contributing writer. It was at the Daily Record where he met his wife, Susan, to whom he was married nearly 50 years.

It was also in Morristown that he served as Executive Director of the regional McGovern-Shriver campaign in the 1972 Presidential election. Though ultimately an unsuccessful effort, his contributions were lauded by many notable supporters, including Arthur Schlesinger and Senator McGovern himself. Peter’s dedication to the candidate and campaign exemplified a lifelong interest in politics, as well as a desire to participate in the process derived from a deep sense of fairness and justice.

That sense of service impacted his role as a First Lieutenant in the Army during the Vietnam war, an experience that perhaps had the greatest impact on his life. After graduating Officer Candidate School in 1967, Peter joined the Army’s Civil Affairs company, eventually serving as commander of the 13th Civil Affairs Platoon, 41st Civil Affairs Company, at Bong Son, Binh Dinh Provence, Vietnam.

It was there, in the Fall of 1968 through the Spring of 1969, that he was decorated with a Bronze Star for meritorious service. His citation reads, in part, that “despite extremely hazardous conditions, [Peter] was responsible for the successful completion of countless civic action projects” including “road repairs, schools, bridges, marketplaces…irrigation systems and similar projects.” Most noteworthy was “the completion of a bridge culvert near Long Quang” and “a comprehensive medical training program” in which “almost 10,000 people were inoculated”. It concludes that “First Lieutenant Berenbak’s initiative, dedication to duty, and sincere compassion for the Vietnamese people were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

It was also in Vietnam that he was exposed to Agent Orange, an encounter that would later lead to the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease that would cut short his life.

The complex relationship Peter had with his military service, compounding his pride in serving his country with a disillusionment in many of the actions of the Army, the government, and some of his fellow soldiers, led to his participation with Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and informed much of his politics, writing and public service throughout the rest of his life.

Peter William Berenbak was born in Brooklyn on July 20, 1944, to Willem and Margaret Berenbak. He and his family lived in several places on both sides of the Hudson River before finally settling in northern New Jersey, where he graduated from Bayley Ellard High School. In 1966 he received a bachelor’s degree from Bradley University in Peoria, IL, where he participated in several civil rights protests, before his tour in Vietnam.

Peter married Susan Tyler on August 21, 1976, welcoming a son, Adam, in 1978, and a daughter, Abigail, in 1980. In addition to being a dedicated husband and father, he continued to devote time to public service and the arts, publishing several poems, participating in public outreach on issues related to Vietnam, and volunteering as an EMT. He was a diehard sports fan, devoting heart and soul to multiple sports and teams, including the Knicks, the NY Giants, and the NY Mets - after his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers left for the west coast. He had a true passion for reading and book collecting, and amassed a collection of first editions ranging from contemporary fiction to Southwest history to wartime poetry. He traveled extensively.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Susan, and his two children, Adam and Abby, as well as his brothers Thomas, and wife Peggy, and Richard, and wife Alexis. His verve for life and love of his family, evident in his daily excitement for all the passions listed above, will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.